Our co-pending patent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/296,434 discloses a nozzle guard for an ink jet printhead. The array of nozzles is formed using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, and has mechanical structures with sub-micron thicknesses. Such structures are very fragile, and can be damaged by contact with paper, fingers, and other objects. The present invention discloses a nozzle guard to protect the fragile nozzles and keep them clear of paper dust.